Poll: Who should eventually replace Ferguson?

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates his 25th anniversary in charge of Manchester United on Sunday 6 November. In a remarkable period, Ferguson has overseen United’s triumph in 36 trophies. But, turning 70 in December, Ferguson’s clock is ticking towards its inevitable end. The great Scot says that, health permitting, he’ll last another three seasons, but who should replace Fergie when he finally calls it a day?

Back in 2002 when Ferguson ‘retired’ for the first time, United’s board was set to appoint Swede Sven Goran Eriksson. It was a dodged bullet. Current favourites for the post include, José Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and former Red Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

I would love to see Pep Guardiola at our club, but I think we need someone with a PERSONALITY as big as Ferguson’s. We all know there’s only one person who can match Ferguson in terms of personality – Jose “Special One” Mourinho. I can’t see anyone else getting the job ahead of him.

Agreed. Mourinho has the personality, he has Ronaldo and he’s friends with Fergie. Fergie will find it hard to keep out of footballing matters so it’s important the new encumbent and he are close so divisions in the dressing room and elsewhere do not crop (ref: post Busby).

Brendan Rogers….His football embarrassed liverpool yesterday, that’s not down to quality of player but simply down to the manager.
If he had the Man Utd squad Barcelona would be in serious serious trouble and he’s young, so could do 20 years at United

And Ole and Eric? We’re not Newcastle – “Lets get our old striker back – he’ll be great”!

If Ole proves himself in a few years then yes definitely but its a big if. And Cantona? He’ll have to manages a club that actually plays in a league and has a squad of players first.

If there’s money available it will be a top European manager like Guardiola or Mourinho – if not it will be someone domestic that’s dying to step up to the job regardless of funds – like Moyes or or Bruce would be. Bit like Woy and Liverpool – and we all know how that turned out…

I think when we are speculating on this ‘huge’ subject there are numerous aspects to take into account.
Will Sir Alex move up stairs and take a overseeing role.That did not work before as far as I have read,in our clubs history.This would require a particularly strong manager and that will not sit well with Sir Alex, you can but imagine two strong characters clashing and therefore unrest.If the club select a ‘toe the line’ manager that will equate to weakness and effectively the new man with Sir Alex still through his mouth piece running the club.I cannot imagine the Portugues or the Spaniard accepting this, if he, the boss does not cut all ties in an involvement sense from United.
Obviously the future is the future and nobody can predict what will be in place, from my point of view the ‘owners’ will have a huge if not tipping the balance in selection of the new boss.Who exactly know’s what they are planning or thinking!
I personally would choose someone with an obvious connection to the football club that understands its history, heritage and the style of play that United should demand as do the fans.
In saying that most of the players he has managed as football players and moved into football management themselves have not ended up laden with success.I guess the old saying a good football player does not mean a decent football manager.Somebody I bet will come in under the radar, like Carlo Ancelloti.
I therefore nominate Gordon Strachan.:)

Since the Glazers do not have the financial resources to buy the players Jose would want, he is, thankfully, out of contention. So, whoever gets the job is going to find himself faced with unreasonably high expectations far beyond the capabilities of the squad; Sir Alex is already experiencing just this problem. The next manager or two will be like tiles on an inbound space shuttle: burned up and then replaced without a second thought.

Spot on mate regards Mourhino and his insatiable spending the knock on effect from his days at Inter are bearing fruit now.Plus he leaves everywhere in a flash and invariably leaves a sour taste.He also as you know is not interested in the youth at the football club he manages for 1/2/3 years.
The Glazer as you say are the ‘key’ player in this.
Sadly as long as we have them and their secrecy we are working in the dark and not knowing what is happening to the club, we love.

PMSL….Well that sits well with the American connection ‘one’ feels.
I think we can think outside the box,United would need to well out of the box for him to arrive in the ‘English premiership’A national team manager does not make a football club manager.Horse’s for courses mate.

Even if he is now manager of La Galaxy, ohhh silly me.
I should quickly add, lads there is a programme on tonight on Talk Shite(uk) at 10.00 oclock, my sporting life with the amiable Danny Kelly on yes…Our boss.
Be sure to worth a listen and a fantastic plaudit to the boss.
Cheers.

I thought that also Alf.I was gonna say me also.I thought there is a lad on here that knows his fitbae, and will nominate himself, you Alf. So dont say’ me’ Jock.
Oddly I can think of worse in the ‘nominations’ section of the forum.

Massive outsider, but I think Jurgen Klopp’s name might feature on that shortlist.

Ultimately, I think it will come down to a shoot-out between Mourinho and Guardiola. As Fergie himself has said, the next manager will need tons of experience. The next manager will need to have the personality to make the position his own.

The next manager will need to be capable of delivering almost instant success – that’s a measure of the level of expectation faced by the next manager.

Because the United job represents a huge challenge, not to mention the challenge of replacing one of the greatest managers of all-time. Besides, he’s won everything at Barcelona and the Spanish league is dominated by 2 teams whereas it would be more of a challenge winning the Premier League.
Cunt.

Can I ask why do you have to call posters a cunt for no reason.I have done that on here ‘once’ to a lad destroying an article.
How many teams have won the English Premiership title, 5.So our league is also insular.Brian of where ever is correct why would he ‘Pep’ tip up at Old Trafford its crazy to think like that, its a non starter and pie in the sky.
He has seen that team Barcelona grow from the youths to the fully fledged team it now is.
Did Barcelona not get a whooping tonight.Watch the new kids on the block in La Liga.Its not a 2 horse race now. Money Money, makes the world and football go round.

Actually, I don’t see any up-side for one great manager to follow immediately after another at a club that has enjoyed fantastic, sustained success. If you win, you do so with the club the other manager left you, and if you lose…

Fair play to you mate.One of the worst aspects of yesterday and i mean this in the best possible way.The future boss of our club is going to be looking up at the old north stand, now the …….!What a legacy and in your face.Almost impossible to follow.
It should be United and forward thinking and to trust we will live forever.
Any way I am off to the boozer with ma sellick mates and chatter over Scottish fitbae and religion and burds and other drivel.
Mind now hunney, listen to the programme I mentioned! lmao

I’d like to see Guardiola at OT for the simple reason that he has first hand knowledge of the youth system, training system and ethos that has created the current players and style of play at Barcelona. As we know, when SAF turned up he didn’t just pick a squad he brought ideas about how the club should be run from grass roots to first team. He changed the whole culture of the club. How do you improve on that? Well one way would be to implement the Barcelona model. I’m not saying PG invented it but he knows it very well. Bringing that to
United would in my view be an improvement.

Would he be interested in coming to United? I have no idea just like the rest of us. But would he be interested in creating his own vision of football from scratch at a different football club? Maybe? Remember that he inherited a lot of what Barcelona are today. I think the job at United may interest him from the perspective of evolving United into something bigger and better in footballing terms and something that he can truely call his own. Just a thought and why I wouldn’t rule out him coming to OT.

Commenter said:
I’d like to see Guardiola at OT for the simple reason that he has first hand knowledge of the youth system, training system and ethos that has created the current players and style of play at Barcelona. As we know, when SAF turned up he didn’t just pick a squad he brought ideas about how the club should be run from grass roots to first team. He changed the whole culture of the club. How do you improve on that? Well one way would be to implement the Barcelona model. I’m not saying PG invented it but he knows it very well. Bringing that to
United would in my view be an improvement.

Would he be interested in coming to United? I have no idea just like the rest of us. But would he be interested in creating his own vision of football from scratch at a different football club? Maybe? Remember that he inherited a lot of what Barcelona are today. I think the job at United may interest him from the perspective of evolving United into something bigger and better in footballing terms and something that he can truely call his own. Just a thought and why I wouldn’t rule out him coming to OT.

Good post. Wasn’t there talk a while ago about Guardiola consdering walking away from managing Barcelona at some point? I don’t know how much truth there was in that.

Alfonso Bedoya said:
Complete nonsense… why would any manager walk away from the best job in the game?
All his talk of leaving is just posturing… he’s managing 3 or 4 of the top 10 players in the world, one of them arguably one of the top 2 or 3 of all time… and one of the worlds best youth programs…
You don’t walk away from that… you dream of haing the chance.

It seems to me that, without knowing what the ownership/financial situation of the club will look like at the time replacing Sir Alex becomes necessary, it is impossible to predict who that next manager will be. If the Glazers and their debt are still with us, neither Pep nor Jose will be coming. In that case, the Glazers will be looking for an over-achiever like Moyes, someone who can do a lot on a shoestring budget.

Without either a massive infusion of cash from an unexpected (and, frankly, impossible to foresee) source and/or another “Class of ’92” rising out of the youth ranks, there really is no way for a Glazer controlled United to remain at or near the summit of English and European football. Finishing in the top four of the Premiership and reaching the UCL quarter-finals will become and remain the level of United’s expectations, if it hasn’t already. The supporters will want more, but the Glazers will be satisfied to see the club do just enough to keep the money coming in.

Anyway… who says Guardiola is actually any good?
Seriously… most managers operating in the top leagues would be capable of winning titles with the talent he’s got to work with… in fact, you’d have to be complete gash to fail.
I’m not saying he’s NOT good… but managing that team doesn’t really stretch your abilities.
That’s why I like Moyes… forget O’Neill… that cunt never stays anywhere for long.
Moyes has got stamina… loyalty… he’s a local family man… and players like playing for him.
He’s not done anything amazing, but he’s allways gotten the most from limited resources…
There are bigger, flashier names that would want the job… but none of them offer the kind of stability, commitment, and continuity that Ferguson gives us… I think Moyes would.

“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”

Alfonso Bedoya said:
Anyway… who says Guardiola is actually any good?
Seriously… most managers operating in the top leagues would be capable of winning titles with the talent he’s got to work with… in fact, you’d have to be complete gash to fail.
I’m not saying he’s NOT good… but managing that team doesn’t really stretch your abilities.
That’s why I like Moyes… forget O’Neill… that cunt never stays anywhere gor long.
Moyes has got stamina… loyalty… he’s a local family man… and players like playing for him.
He’s not done anything amazing, but he’s allways gotten the most from limited resources…
There are bigger, flashier names that would want the job… but none of them offer the kind of stability, commitment, and continuilty that Ferguson gives us… I think Moyes would.

Agreed – Moyes would be (almost) perfect. He’s good at bringing up talent too. Rooney doesn’t like him but fuck him.

Stable personality, family man, nice bloke… Absolutely
But what are his footballing credentials? I’m talking nouse, experience, tactics, formations, approach. Can he spot greatness in every position, can he outsmart great European opposition, does he even know how to approach CL football, can he build a great team, then rebuild another
Does he have the football to take on Barcelona in a European Cup Final

One name not mentioned is Carlo Ancelotti. I don’t think he’ll get it, but when the time comes he’ll be considered. He’s mad keen on the PL and wants to return – prob be at Spurs next year when Harry gets the England job.
I selected Guardiola. I know that on the face of it, he’s had an easy job, but I think he’s a smarter tactician than people give him credit for and he’s proven that he can handle the pressure of a huge club with huge expectation. I’d also expect him to add an extra dimension to the quality of our football.
Guardiola has spoken many times of wishing to manage elsewhere in his career and not staying at Barca forever – I mean if they win the title and CL this year – what more could he do with Barca?
Despite all that, I think Fergie has a gentleman’s agreement with Mourinho.
Oh and Moyes has no chance. Whoever gets the job is going to have vast experience of CL football.

dozer said:
“Does he have the football to take on Barcelona in a European Cup Final ”
Even Fergie doesn’t have that.

He doesn’t have the players, that’s the problem. Completely agree with Sid. My concern about Pep would be whether he would be committed to a long-term future at United.
I think Jose is the favourite but, as I mentioned earlier, I would be interested to know if Klopp (Borussia Dortmund) is being considered. Klopp favours attacking football, has a great eye for a player (especially younger lads like Gotze) and experience of managing a team in the Champions League. Maybe not an obvious option now but in the future…who knows?

whoever it is, we’ve got to expect a season at least without any silver wear. the transitional period will be very hard for whoever gets it.

that said, id say probably Mourinho. he’s the only person with enough of an ego to follow SAF. i think also the only person who may be able to hit the ground running and prove my first comment wrong.

we probably wouldn’t be happy with his style of play at first, but lets face it, were not exactly setting the world alight at the moment are we…fans are fickle and if he wins the league we would love him.

nope not bottle it but more a case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak;
and i would rather him go whilst at the top than listen to cunts like you slag him off for his odd team selection and relying on his “bastard” son to prop the midfield